How long do orchard orioles live?

Longevity records come from birds that were marked and later found again, usually through bird banding, or from birds kept in zoos. They show what a Orchard Oriole can survive to, not what most do. This one comes from captivity, where there are no predators, storms or food shortages, so wild orchard orioles rarely come close.

For small birds, the first year is the hardest. Many eggs and nestlings are lost to predators and weather, and young birds that leave the nest still have to learn to find food and avoid hawks and cats. A bird that survives its first winter has a much better chance of living several more years. That is why average lifespans in the wild are short even when the record is long.

Orchard orioles usually start breeding at about 1 year old. Each season a pair lays 3–7 eggs and raises 1 per season, with eggs taking 12–15 days to hatch.

Oldest recorded ages for other blackbirds on this site.

• Common Grackle23.1 years
• Red-winged Blackbird20 years
• Yellow-headed Blackbird18 years
• Brown-headed Cowbird16.9 years
• Baltimore Oriole14 years
• Boat-tailed Grackle13.9 years

• Orchard Oriole: identification, diet and range
• Baby orchard orioles: eggs, nestlings and fledglings